The South western news., 1887-11-30
AFEARFUL DEATH.
A Man Dies IN New York from
HydrophObia
Horror-Stricken.

New York, Nov. Is Charles
Cavanan, aged q years, a porter.
residing at No. 270 Greenwich
street, died in the Chambers street
hospital at $3.50 o'clock this morn>
ing. a victem of genuine ty-
drophobia.
At o'clock yesterday afternoon
he was admitted to be treated as
the first case of genuine hydropho-
bia ever brought to the hospital.
On October 8. last, Cavanan
saw two dogs fighting in front of
his home. While he was trying TO
separate them ore of the dogs seiz-
ed him by the little finger of his
right hand. Cavanan thought no.
thing oe the bite. but several days
later noticed that it did not appear
to be healing very rapidly. The
first intimation he had of anything
like hydrophObia was on last Sa-
turday, when he began to feel i'll
and was seized with slight convul>
sions. Monday afternoon at l
O'Clock he was taken to the hospi-
tai for treatment. At 2 o'clock
he began to have spasms and con>
vulsions Of the throat, which rapid
~ became more frequent and Sc
we're. About every twenty min
ntes Cavanan would be seized
With violent Fpasms, with increas-
ing expectoration and contraction
OF the mussles Of the throat.
Any attempt to give him water
or administer any medicine imme.
diately brought on violent convul-
sinns. After 5 o'clock the convul-
s;nnA became almost incessant, and
he became 50 violent that it was
found necessary to remove him to
a paivate room and place him in a
straight jacket. Two men were
required to hold him in bed. At
10 o'clock the patient began to
have Authorizations and imagined
that pack of dogs were afte: him.
self and those around him. Nor
phine was freely administered
This, in a MEASURE, deadened the
pain in his throat. At intervals
he was perfectly rational, and at
times would converse with his at
tendants But these spells were
of very short duration. To the at
tendant doctor he said, during one
of his sane intervals:
81 hold on well, don't /? But l
suppose / must die. 1t shows that
1 am pretty strong though, don't
it,"
At $3.50 o'clock THE morning
Cavanan began to grow black in
the face and his breathing became
very difficult. From that time
until he died he suffered greatly,
at times being hardly able to
breathe, but conscious and ration
al The most distressing sight
was to see the man when in con.
vulsions. He had but one eye,
but this one would stare and roll
in a most horrible manner while
the unfortunate sufferer twisted
and turned in the most terrible
agony.
At about 6 o'clock, under the
influence Of heavy and frequent
injections Of morphine, he became
. little easier and died apparently
without pain and much easier thar
was expected.
DIR. Wedekind, who attended
Cavanan. said it was an undoubted
case of 'hydrophobia. an all my
hospital experience" said be, land
/ have had considerable, never
have / seen such a horrible sigh
as that man when he was in con,
WILSON'S"
1t is said that several persons
besides Cavanan were bitten by
the dog whose bite caused hi
death, but as yet no cases of by
drophobia have been reported
The dog was shot by 8 policeman
shortly after be bit Cavanan.
popiD0 the Question Anecdotes.